Time's Own Blossom
by Song of Chaos
Summary: Summary: An oppressive new law forces two unlikely lovers together. Will they learn to love? I started this story when HP5 came out, so now it’s AU. The story takes place during Hermione’s sixth year. Enjoy!SSHG
1. Chapter 1: Bad News by Owl

Chapter 1

Bad News by Owl

Hermione Granger yawned as she made her way to the breakfast table. It was summer, and she had been up late last night doing some research for her summer Potions essay about love potions.

"Good morning, darling!" her father greeted her. "I see you got a good night's sleep!"

"Very funny, Dad," Hermione said, yawning again.

"I just had a call from your cousin Emily," her dad began. "She says she's—"

"Mione, honey, that's an owl, isn't it?" her mother interrupted, peering through the curtained kitchen window.

Hermione lept up. "Oh my God!" she shrieked. "My OWLs!"

"But…honey, you don't have any owls," her mother said puzzledly.

"No, no, OWLs are Ordinary Wizarding Levels," said Hermione hastily as she shoved the window open. "They're those tests I took last year…oh no, and I know I missed question 34 on my Ancient Runes exam, that was the one about partnership and defense…stupid _ehwaz_…"

The beautiful black owl landed gracefully on the faucet, and delicately held its leg out. Not one, but two envelopes were tied on. Hermione shakily undid the string and the owl glared once about the kitchen, and swooped back out.

"I still haven't gotten used to those birds," Hermione's mother laughed. "Should I have offered it something to eat?"

Hermione didn't answer, as she was too busy puzzling over the envelopes. One had the Hogwarts crest on it, and the other was stamped with "The Ministry of Magic."

She opened the Hogwarts envelope first. A neatly folded piece of parchment fell out. Hermione anxiously scanned it, then collapsed onto her chair.

"I got all Outstandings!" she cried out. She gave a shaky laugh. "I guess I didn't do too badly in Ancient Runes after all."

She wondered how Ron and Harry did, and made a mental note to ask them in her next letter.

She turned to the Ministry of Magic envelope. Hermione frowned. She'd never gotten anything from the Ministry…was she, perhaps, in trouble?

Hermione pried open the seal and took out an official-looking piece of parchment.

"_Dear Miss Hermione Granger,_

_As you may or may not have heard, the Ministry of Magic has recently enacted the Matrimonial Safety law, which pairs each of-age Muggle-born with a spouse of magic ancestry. This has been put through for the safety of all Muggle-borns. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is famously opposed to the existence of Muggle-borns, and it is imperative that registered Muggle-borns are placed under the safety of a witch or wizard with known magic ancestry. As marriage is lawfully binding, a Muggle-born married to and living with a pureblood is less likely to suffer the wrath of the Dark Lord._

_Since you are to turn sixteen in September, you will be old enough to be considered eligible for marriage. You must be legally wed within six months."_

Hermione took a breath. "This is ridiculous," she muttered under her breath. Then her thoughts turned to Ron. He had known magic ancestry! It wouldn't be too bad if she were paired with him. She smiled a little in spite of herself, then read on.

"_The Ministry has decided that, in your best interests, you are to marry Severus Snape._

_Sincerely,_

_Gavert Simon_

_Department of Public Safety"_

Hermione dropped the letter. Snape?

_Professor Snape?_

Surely this was a joke!

She read it over again, trying to breathe normally. Yes, this was definitely a joke, most likely from Ron. She could imagine him, and Fred and George, laughing their stupid heads off putting together this letter. They probably thought it was a laugh, making up some cock-and-bull story to convince her that she had to marry Professor Snape.

"What is that, dear?" her father asked, peering at the back of the letter clenched in her fist.

"Oh, it's…a joke letter from one of my friends," Hermione said, laughing. "They're so silly…if they only put as much effort into their homework—that reminds me! I have to finish my Potions essay!"

"Have fun," her father said with a wry smile. "Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that your cousin Emily from America is visiting us next week."

"That's…great," Hermione said, already composing a furious letter to Ron in her head. She couldn't wait to tell him off!

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

"_…and I want you to know that I didn't fall for it at all! You, Ronald Weasley, need to do something more productive with your time!"_

Hermione dotted the last exclamation mark with a sharp jab. She rolled up the parchment and realized that she had to wait until an owl came to deliver something, as she didn't have any owls of her own.

"Oh, Crookshanks," Hermione murmured, petting her orange cat. "Sometimes I wish you could deliver things too!"

A thump at her window alerted her to look up. A large gray owl teetered right outside her window.

"Errol!" Hermione cried. "Good timing!" She hurriedly pulled the window and grabbed Errol before he could fall down.

There was a sloppily rolled up scroll on Errol's leg. Hermione pulled it off. She recognized Ron's scrawl immediately.

"_I got this weird Ministry letter saying I have to marry Parvati Patil! I thought it was from Fred and George, but George got one too, he has to marry Katie Bell. Did you get any of this marriage crap?_"

The writing was messy and obviously hurriedly written. Hermione's heart dropped as the truth hit her.

It wasn't fake. She had to marry Severus Snape.

She recalled all the insults she'd heard Ron and Harry and Sirius—her heart dropped a little more—sling at Snape. "Greasy, slimy, ugly git," they said. She'd always admonished them for being so disrespectful, but now, as she faced the reality of a marriage with him, she couldn't help but want to call him names too.

"At least you get to marry someone nice, someone your age!" she hurled at the letter. "I have to marry Professor _Snape, _just because he's a lovely, safe _pureblood!_"

She flung herself onto her bed and dissolved in tears. The image of Snape, with his hooked nose and greasy black hair, swum through her brain.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

AN: Remember, I wrote this before HP6, so I didn't know Snape was a half-blood. In my story, he's pureblood.

AN2: REVIEW PLEASE! I spent a long time working on this story and if you took the time to read this you should at least say a little something.


	2. Chapter 2: Arrival

Chapter 2

Arrival

Hermione hadn't told her parents about the marriage, because she held hope in her heart that she would find some way to escape it. Besides, she didn't want to hurt them.

She hadn't told Ron or Harry about it either. In fact, she hadn't written them at all since getting the Ministry letter.

"I'm going to get Emily from the airport," her father called to her. "I'll be back right away!"

"Okay, Dad!" Hermione yelled back. She turned and inspected her room. It was even cleaner than it usually was, and a cot lay next to her bed. She figured there was enough space for Emily to put her suitcases.

Hermione felt a little strange, looking at her room. All her textbooks and quills had been hidden away and her robes tucked into the back of her closet. Emily was a Muggle, and it wouldn't do to violate the International Statute of Secrecy.

Hermione sighed. Although she'd done a rather good job appearing cheery and normal in front of her parents, she felt as if, everyday, there was lead in her heart. It was impossible to forget that she was bound by law to marry a man twice her age, a man who, on her top ten list of eligible bachelors, would be number eleven.

"There's a reason he's single," she fumed, angrily wiping away a hot tear. "No one wants to marry him, and I'm the one being forced to."

She recalled a horrid moment from her fourth year. Malfoy, that horrible, horrible boy, had hit her with an Engorgement Charm, and her teeth…her teeth…

_…Hermione, whimpering in panic, was clutching her mouth._

_"Hermione!" _

_Ron had hurried forward to see what was wrong with her; Harry turned and saw Ron dragging Hermione's hand away from her face. It wasn't a pretty sight. Hermione's front teeth—already larger than average—were now growing at an alarming rate; she was looking more and more like a beaver as her teeth elongated, past her bottom lip, toward her chin—panic-stricken, she felt them and let out a terrible cry._

_"And what is all this noise about?" said a soft, deadly voice._

_Snape had arrived…_

_…"Malfoy got Hermione!" Ron said. "Look!"_

_He forced Hermione to show Snape her teeth…_

_Snape looked coldly at Hermione, then said, "I see no difference."_

Even nearly two years later, the injustice still rankled with Hermione, and she was finding it harder and harder not to hate her Potions professor. She thought wildly of herself in a white dress, with droopy, greasy Professor Snape by her side. She stifled a sob.

The door slammed. Hermione sat bolt upright. Emily was here!

"I'm fine, fine, Uncle!" a perky voice sounded from downstairs. "I can move my luggage myself!"

Hermione checked her eyes in the mirror for signs of redness, then bounded downstairs. A tall, slim girl stood in the hall, easily pulling two suitcases along. The girl, Emily, turned when she heard Hermione's approach.

"Hermione!" she cried, putting her suitcases down. She stepped forward and hugged her cousin. "I haven't seen you since we were little!"

"I've missed you so much!" Hermione replied, her heart already lifting at the sight of her lovely cousin Emily, who flicked her straight honey-colored hair back and smiled, her green eyes shining.

"Show me to your room," Emily said, "I need to put these down."

"Oh, I'll help!" said Hermione, and quickly grabbed one of the suitcases before Emily could stop her. Hermione paused.

"This is really light…" she said, puzzled.

"Oh, I um, don't have much in that one," Emily said hastily. "And the construction is very, erm, revolutionary…really light, you see."

Hermione shrugged and lifted the suitcase upstairs, with Emily following close behind. As they entered through the doorway to Hermione's room, Crookshanks stalked out, then stared curiously at Emily.

"Now now, Crookshanks, be nice," Hermione said, nudging the orange cat with her foot. Crookshanks peered at Emily for another moment, then rubbed himself against her ankles.

"Nice cat," Emily giggled, as Crookshanks rubbed against her legs. "He looks almost like a Kneaz—"

She paused. "I mean like a…needy cat I saw in the shelter last week."

Hermione glanced at her cousin, who looked slightly nervous, then at Crookshanks, who looked somewhat pleased with himself.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"So…what school do you go to, in America?" Hermione asked.

"Salem Academy for Gifted Students," Emily replied promptly. "It's a private school in Massachusetts."

Hermione nodded as Emily flung open one suitcase. There was a jumble of brightly colored, trendy-looking clothing, and a few haphazardly piled bottles and tubes of scented lotions.

As Hermione watched her cousin unpack, she suddenly felt drab. Her English accent felt heavy and pretentious in her mouth, next to Emily's light dialect, and her regular Muggle clothing, while nice, didn't seem as exciting as Emily's skirts and tops. And her hair….

While Emily busied herself putting all her clothing on hangers, Hermione peeked at some of the remaining items in the suitcase. There was a bottle of something, "Hair Lotion"? No, that was "Potion," but….

Holding her breath, Hermione quickly poked through the rest of the suitcase. At the very bottom...heavy black material…just like her school robes…she pulled it out and examined the gleaming badge pinned to the fabric.

"Salem Academy of Witchcraft," it read.

AN: I had a really bad day, and I'm not posting the next chapter unless I get a lot of reviews! Review and make me happy! Yes, I AM holding the next chapter hostage, you got a problem with that?

AN2: Sorry this chapter is short. But a short chapter is better than no chapter, right? Right. REMEMBER TO REVIEW!


	3. Chapter 3: Changes

Chapter 3

Changes

AN: Thanks for all the reviews, everyone!

Hermione whirled on Emily, the robes clenched in her hand.

"You're a witch too." It was not a question.

Emily took a step back. "I'm not a…wait, you're one too?"

Hermione nodded, a smile spreading across her face.

"You go to Hogwarts, then!" Emily said excitedly. "Oh my God, I thought I'd have to hide it all from you while I was here, and try not to perform any accidental magic…but you're one too!"

"I thought _I_ had to hide my magic while you were here!" Hermione replied. "I had to put all my spellbooks away, and hide my wand, and everything! And that's why your luggage was so light, it's bewitched!"

"Yes!" Emily laughed. "Oh, this is great, and I thought I was the only witch in the family!"

Suddenly Hermione's heart felt heavy again.

"You mean you're a Muggle-born too?" she asked. "Your mom or dad or anything isn't magic?"

"No, not a one," Emily replied. "Why?"

Hermione hesitated. She averted her eyes and mumbled, "Since I'm Muggle-born, I have to be married."

Emily looked puzzled. "I don't get it."

Hermione took a breath, then looked into her cousin's kind green eyes. "The Dark Lord—You-Know-Who—is rising in power, my friend Harry fought him last month at the Ministry of Magic…"

"Oh, I heard about that!"

"…and to protect all the Muggle-borns, they have to be married to purebloods, and live with them."

Emily clapped her hand to her mouth. "That's weird!" she exclaimed. "Do you know who you have to be married to?"

Hermione nodded, hoping she wouldn't start crying again. "I have to…" her voice trailed off, and she began again in a whisper. "I have to marry Severus Snape, he's the Potions professor at Hogwarts."

Emily was silent. Then she asked, "What's he like? Nice? Handsome? He's not too old, is he?"

Hermione clenched her eyes shut, then opened them again. Good. No tears. "He's as old as Harry Potter's parents would be, so I guess in his thirties."

Emily wrinkled her nose.

"And oh, Emily, I don't like him at all! He's a Slytherin, he's so biased, he's never nice to us, and he's got this greasy black hair, and this hooked nose, and he looks like a bat…"

Emily leaned forward and hugged Hermione, who shook with dry sobs. "I don't want to marry him!" Hermione cried passionately. "I don't care that he's a pureblood, I don't care that You-Know-Who has come back! I don't want to marry him!"

The two girls were silent for a moment, then Emily said hesitantly, "Well, you don't hate him."

Hermione looked up. "What?"

Emily shrugged. "You just said you don't like him, and to be honest he doesn't sound _too_ bad. And you didn't say you hate him."

Hermione looked wordlessly at her cousin.

"Look, I'll cheer you up!" Emily cried. "I brought over a lot of my stuff, I'll give you a makeover!"

She held up a shining glass bottle. Hermione took it and read the label.

"Martha Stewart's Silky-Smooth Hair Potion? I thought Martha Stewart was a Muggle!"

"She only pretends to be a Muggle in the Muggle world," Emily said, taking the bottle back. "She's really this witch who markets all these fantastic products in our world, not just for hair, for _everything_! Besides, do you think a Muggle would make perfect decorations like she does?"

Hermione giggled as Emily squirted a dollop of hair potion into her hand. "This stuff is great," Emily said enthusiastically. "Way better than Sleekeazy's. You only need a little bit, and it keeps your hair nice for _ages!_"

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

An hour later, Hermione stared at herself in the mirror.

"Like it?" Emily said encouragingly.

Hermione's hair had been tamed by a mere squirt of Martha Stewart's Silky-Smooth, and Emily had done something to it so it had nice honey-colored streaks. Hermione herself looked as if she were glowing. A collection of magical makeup littered the dresser, and Hermione experimentally batted her long, dark lashes at herself in the mirror. She smiled tremulously, and delighted in her rose-colored lips.

"I'll let you have all this," Emily said, gesturing to the makeup. "I can't believe you don't have any of this stuff, it's better than Muggle makeup because it doesn't come off until you want it to. And I brought over some extra bottles of the hair potion, you can have them."

Hermione turned to her cousin. "Emily, you're amazing," she said weakly, reaching up to touch her own faintly blushing cheeks.

"I'm only your average miracle worker," Emily said humbly. "Thank the witches and wizards who came up with all this."

Hermione was struck by a sudden thought, and began giggling despite herself.

"What?" Emily demanded.

"You know—" Hermione giggled some more— "who else needs a makeover?"

Emily frowned puzzledly. "Who?"

"Professor…_Snape!" _Hermione burst out, and dissolved in laughter.

AN: I know it kind of sucks but the next chapter is much better! REMEMBER TO REVIEW!


	4. Chapter 4: Departures

Chapter 4

Departures

"Oh Emily, I'm going to miss you," Hermione sighed. Her cousin was now leaving, and the next day, Hermione herself would be departing for Hogwarts. Dread had returned, dread of a certain Potions professor she would certainly have to marry soon, in accordance with the six-month deadline.

"Me too," Emily replied fervently. "It's been really fun here, at your house. You should write to me, you know, and let me know all about…everything." She glanced nervously at Hermione's father, who was waiting to drive Emily to the airport.

"I will," promised Hermione. Emily gave a sad little wave as she walked out of the door, feather-light luggage in tow.

When the door slammed shut, the house seemed strangely empty. Emily had been energetic and lively, and everything seemed darker and smaller when she wasn't around.

Sighing, Hermione headed upstairs, picking up a disgruntled Crookshanks on her way.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Twenty four hours later, Hermione boarded the Hogwarts Express, cheerily greeting her fellow students. Within a few minutes she had run into Harry and Ron.

"Oi, Hermione!" Ron shouted. "Hermione! Harry, where's Hermione?"

"I'm right here, Ron!" Hermione laughed, edging through the crowd. She smiled when Ron and Harry's mouths dropped open.

"Hermione?" Ron squeaked. He swallowed. "Blimey, Hermione…" he trailed off weakly.

Hermione laughed and tossed her shining, blissfully straight hair over her shoulder. "What, Ron? Anything wrong?" She looked at him through her lashes.

Both boys choked a little.

"Um, let's go find a compartment," muttered Harry. Hermione followed Ron and Harry into an empty compartment, where they stowed their trunks.

"So Hermione," Ron said, avoiding Hermione's eyes. "Did you get…anything about a marriage law?"

"Erm, yes," Hermione answered hesitantly. "But…I haven't got my spouse yet, the Ministry has to…sort something out," she lied.

Just then a shadow passed by the compartment door.

"And the Ministry paired me with that bushy Mudblood Granger," came the unmistakable drawl of Draco Malfoy. "But Father wouldn't stand for it, of course, and spoke to the Minister…very good friends, Father and the Minister. Father gave him some very good reasons for me not to marry the Mudblood…and that was taken care of. Unlike certain _blood traitors_, we Malfoys have good connections."

Before Hermione or Harry could stop him, Ron stood up and slammed the compartment door open.

"And what were those good reasons, Malfoy?" Ron said loudly. "Gold? How much did you bribe the Minister?"

"Jealous, aren't you, Weasley?" Draco Malfoy sneered. "I'll give you a Knut as a wedding present, it's probably more than you've ever had in your life."

Crabbe and Goyle laughed stupidly. Ron's ears turned red and his hands formed fists.

"Ron, he's not worth it," Hermione snapped, standing up.

Malfoy's icy gray eyes swiveled to Hermione and locked on her. His mouth fell open.

"Catching flies, Malfoy?" Hermione asked irritably. "I thought you were too rich to do things like that."

With that, she shut the compartment door with a satisfying slam.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

When they had all arrived at the castle, safe and sound, Hermione joined the swarm of Gryffindors making their way to their House table. She seated herself between Harry and Ron, feeling slightly morose. Usually she would busy herself bemoaning the plight of the poor house-elves who had to serve them; right now, though, she was dreading the appearance of Professor Snape at the staff table.

Hermione nervously ran her hands through her newly silky hair before she could catch herself. Why was she doing that, anyway?

Dumbledore strode in and made his usual start-of-term speech, before sumptuous food appeared on the golden platters before them. Hermione, however, was busy trying not to concentrate on the dark-haired, hook-nosed man sitting on Dumbledore's right.

She couldn't help it. Hermione glanced quickly at Severus Snape, and a jolt went through her when his eyes, black and soulless, met hers. She quickly glanced back down at her empty plate. Her miserable reflection gazed back up at her.

"Hermiommphhh," Ron said, cramming a large roll into his mouth. He swallowed. "Are you still going on about those mad elf rights?"

Hermione looked at him, and it took a second for her to realize what Ron was talking about. Food had appeared on the tables, and she was the only one not tucking in.

"I…no," she mumbled, reaching for a small piece of shepherd's pie. "Just….thinking."

Ron looked worriedly at her, and her heart skipped for a moment as she wondered what he thought of her. But then he turned to a chicken drumstick, and the moment was gone.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

AN: I just discovered that I had anonymous comments disabled! I am SO SORRY! I didn't know about that, anonymous comments are enabled now! EVERYONE REVIEW! I didn't get enough reviews for chappie 3…::teartear::


End file.
